Thursday, May 15, 2014

Day 69, Learning 69: Approaching the Problem of Style

"To do a dangerous thing with style is what I call art" ~ Charles Bukowski

Easier said than done, I think. Good, actionable advice on how to develop your photographic style is hard to find.Clichés, on the other hand, sprout like lawn
weeds everywhere:Style develops over
time; you can’t rush it!Confidence
creates style! Imitate other people’s work and put a twist on it!Here are 3 ways/8 ways/10 tips to creating style!

To make matters worse, some of the top photographers in the
industry have been teaching that the endless repetition of an observable
technique equals style. To me, that qualifies as fashion.

"Kitsch is the inability to admit that shit exists" ~ Milan Kundera

To a certain extent the clichés are true; style isn’t possible until you’ve mastered the
basics.We’re all still learning.Even the most accomplished photographers push
themselves to create images they haven’t done before.The basics are easy.The intermediate skills are
just that-- more difficult than beginning ones.When it comes to style,people
often try to link the strengthening of technique to the creation of style--you read about ridiculous exercises to improve
one’s “vision” by“spending the day
photographing things that are purple.”Like that’s going to be a big help on a professional shoot.But since there are elements
and principles of photography and form, it can be useful to practice
identifying them in the real world.

Line

Shape

Form

Texture

Color

Pattern

These are broad concepts and as one student-of-photography
to another I can assure you that they aren’t much use until you learn to break
them down into smaller elements.Spend
the day looking for one sub-element at a time.You don’t need to drag your camera with you; use your cell phone.
Observe reflections.Identify
complimentary colors.Spot intersecting
lines and curves. Locate a spot where one texture becomes another.I'll tell you a secret: None of the exercises
will build or improve your personal style.But they will strengthen the muscles you need to create it.

If you’re a working photographer the number one dictate is that you give your client the product they want.Always remember that. But once that's on the memory card, you have latitude to explore. So how do we develop style?

Examine the basic ingredients.Style appears in the use of photographic
elements and principles mentioned above.It's also in the
shape and texture of light.Style isn’t
static; it evolves.Here are the most
useful tips I’ve found to speed the development of personal style:

Style doesn’t develop
on its own.Yes, that's right: you can take boring
pictures from now until the day you die if you don’t actively pursue its
development.Time may improve your basic skills, but you’ll have to apply yourself to
create an artistic vision.

Strengthen your
muscles and be attentive to what excites you.Whether it’s practice or performance (work) pay
attention to your interests.It’s not
just about identifying images that work-- a workable image may have no attraction to you.
Find what excites you.

When you’re shooting
for a client, take a few for yourself.Once you’ve met their expectations, ask to do something unusual-- new
lighting, new location, new pose.Keep
your request reasonable, but ask.

"The more you leave out, the more you highlight what you leave in" ~ Henry Green

Pick five words that
describe your favorite images.These
should be pictures you’ve already taken.I often
ask my clients for three words that describe the image they want me to create;
that way I know what I’m working towards.This is the same principle.Now
go into your image library and pick 10 of your favorite images.Do they fulfill your five words?Do you need to pick new ones?

Pick three words you
don’t want people to use when describing your images.That sounds too easy, doesn’t it?Here’s the catch:They should be positive words. They can’t be “boring,” or “plastic.”They have to be three words that someone
might say they want in their
picture.Is “fun” a word you don’t want
attributed to your work?Bright?You can’t use gloomy (that's a negative word), but what about dark or moody? These three “not-words” should guide you as
firmly as your five positive words.And
remember, you don’t have to never create
images that have those attributes-- you’re pointing your feet in a direction,
not cementing them to a spot.

Post Mortem to Death.This goes back to my first point-- style
doesn’t happen by itself.Review your
images; review your process for taking them.Evaluation is constant; it should be as addictive as taking images. At Hurricane Images Inc. I constantly dig back into old images, re-edit them, play, and re-invent.

Special thanks to Tiffany Stewart (clothing designer for the top image), Hazel Wheeler (make-up artist), and Lejon Vinge (model, top).

Me Me Me

Ian Robin Walker runs Hurricane Images, a San Francisco / Bay Area photography studio that specializing in Products, Portraits, Entertainment, and Wedding photography. My work is driven by a strong, personal connection with my clients in order to provide truly unique images.

What about me?

Born in North Hampton, Massachusetts/ was told I should be an actor/ spent 25 years working as a theatre director/ created light designs for more than three dozen productions/ started writing plays/ started winning awards/ realized I had always been a photographer when I discovered photographs of me at the age of 11 with a camera in my hands/ began photographing publicity photos for performing artists and theater companies/ started having my photos published major magazines/ met you here, today.

I create high impact imagery in a calm and professional atmosphere that places clients at ease. I am interested in photographing what is unique about you. The majority of my clients are individuals; my business clients include Second Wind Productions, Albany Records, Impact Assessment Inc., the California Department of Public Health, International Musician and Engineering World Magazine, Underground Runway, JB Enterprises, and Triple Shot Productions.